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Show The SfaMdard's U. A. C, Bureau Articles of Interest to Farmers, Housekeepers and Others Written for The Standard by Experts at Utah's Noted Agricultural College at Logan SIIiAGE FOR DAIRY CATTLE. By F. u. Cfumnuu k. I'uld Dairyman, University of Idaho Extension Division. The need ioi a BUCCUleni winter feed was first realized something over 25 years figi by the dairymen, and experiments experi-ments proved conclusively that tho corn plant pioperly Stored would produce pro-duce the acijlred results. Methods, materials and uses have been greatly changed since then, hut the dairymen aro still the greatest advocates and users of slluge. Sheep, beef cnttlo and other types ot livestock have jtlllzed it successfully, but dairymen are and will continue to be Its Mtaunchost advocates. ad-vocates. Experiments have shown that use of bllage accomplishes the following rtsults: Cheapens Ihe cost of the ration ra-tion fed. increases the production of milk; and Improves the health and condition' of cattle. There are several sev-eral minor results and advantages such as permitting tho feeding of more roughage and less concentrates, encouraging ihe growing of the ration or the home farm, making porstlde a better crop rotation, helping solve the allulfa weevil piohlem. Increasing the pioiits by whetting the cow s appetite, etc. The cheapening- of the ration Is especially es-pecially noteworthy, because much larger yields can be grown and because be-cause It can be substituted for higher-priced higher-priced feeds. When it Is possible to grow front 15 to 25 tons (and more) of a succulent feed, such as silage, and when a ton of silage will replace hUf Ion of alfalfa hay. there Is no doubt that It cheapens the cost of ration. ra-tion. Jt Is usually conceded that ihe average yield Is about rour times that of alfalfa hay. with a feeding value of about one half as much SILAGE i( REA6ES Mil K, In addition, as noted in the second point, sll.agc Increases t hi flow of mllU. The average Increase of milk flow as given by practical dairymen In Idaho Is about 20 per tent Hs thl3 1 mean that where hay Is fed and than about one half the hay needed Is replaced re-placed by silage (two pounds of silage sil-age to one pound of hay) the result will be an Increase of from 20 per cent to 2b per cent In milk production, (from the average cow. Where a bal-aticed bal-aticed ration has been fed the results ma not be so great, hut In virtually 'all cases an Increase Is shown in the amount of milk with the test remaining remain-ing practically constant within the usual variation. ) The third point (of keeping the cow In health) although l.-ss apparent Is lalso of considerable Importance. Silage Sil-age has a laxative effect and keeps j the general health of the cattle considerably con-siderably better. Instances are re-I re-I corded where m, n have had trouble 'or losing cattle with impaction before feeding silage and then have found I this trouble removed after feeding tillage til-lage Some men also claim that cattle j bloat less easily and less severely on alfalfa pasture when they nre led en silage, although this result may not always be relied upon absolute!) Sll-uge Sll-uge certainly Is a conditioner, how-lever, how-lever, and cattle usually havo a much Isleeker appearance and ore more eas-lly eas-lly kept In condition when 11 Is fed to ; them. Statements above made refer to sll- lage In general and apply to a varloty of feeds put up in a green condition usually compared to pickling or canning can-ning of vegetables. The feeds most COmmOnly used are corn, sunflowers, sorghums small grains, peas and oats, beet tops, etc. The feeds to be used In different localities will vary with conditions of cllrmUe. available soil moisture, crop rotations, and other local lo-cal differences., Thero is In general a tendency to use corn wherever It can be grown successfully and it no douht Is the safest, most used, and most reliable crop utilized. It waa I the first that proved successful. HA'J IRE BE91 Ml i ROPB Farm bureau members throughout I Idaho are trying experiments to dcter-mlne dcter-mlne the best crops to use for silage In the various localities of the state I The results of these experiments will 'be of vital Importance to the livestock Industry In these places, in general, Sunflowers show promise and will ! yield more heavily but apparently are I of Inferior quality to corn. Where the coin can be grown to maturity (or to the dent or glazed period) safely It 'has been considered the very best sll-i oge crop that could be grown Ex-! periments may prove, however, that, another crop Is better. Sunflowers 'and other crops will grow where corn ; cannot be grown successfully and ishow promise of becoming of great Importance to the livestock industry in those localities. With the allulfa weevil spreading rapidly, the silo becomes a necessity The crop to grow will vary and will depend so largelj upon the community and the local conditions that the only Solution Is a well organized series of . xperlmtonts planned and executed b the farmers co-operating through the I .farm bureau and by the aid of the 'county agricultural agent. The experiments exper-iments being tried this year and others to follow will be Interesting and lm-pcrtunt lm-pcrtunt The results will be conclusive conclu-sive when expei Iments are carried on over a sufficient period. The common use of silage ha3 been as a succulent feed for winter when tho grass is gone and only dr feed Is otherwise obtainable Hence It of-ten of-ten Is called Winter pasture." Th's will likely remain its greatest use. but lt also is coming into use as a summer feed to supplement or even take the pluce of the u 1 1 .'i I pasture In the for-i for-i mcr use it will certainly grow In Im-portanee Im-portanee because of tho character of i pastures In many places. In the lat-j .tor use it will be limited, not because' it will not compete economically with 'the pasture but because of the addi-l tional labor required. Pasturage Is' popular because It hep meet the la-ibor la-ibor problem and silage and soiling I crops Will not likely superocde It for some time, but there are possibilities i tor their doing so eventually Sugges-Itlons Sugges-Itlons for putting up the crop, time to put In the crop. etc.. will be given at la later date. Anyone who hus pros-I pros-I recta for a good silage crop this year can feel fortunate, especially as hay may npaln he high priced. Experience and observation elsewhere else-where gives assurance that silage will l' Increasingly popular In Idaho. Information In-formation on thijt and other dairy subjects sub-jects can be obtained from the dairy I section of the University Extension Dl-I Dl-I vision. Boise. Idaho. |
